PHOTO: Bildbyrån
A Norwegian biathlete was stopped from competing after an incident at the hotel.
Now Björn Ferry comments on the matter.
– I think it will be tougher for the biathletes, he says to SVT.
Double fourth places for Martin Ponsilouma in Sebastian Samuelsson’s absence. Double fifth places for Elvira Öbergplus a podium place for Elvira and Hanna Öberg. Yes, it was a stable World Cup weekend for the Swedish biathletes.
Lägreid’s mistake
It also went well for several Norwegian biathletes. Including Sturla Holm Campsite – until it didn’t. The Norwegian came fourth and third in the two opening races, but before Sunday’s mass start he was stopped from competing. The 26-year-old fired a dangerous shot at the hotel, and was punished by not being allowed to compete.
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Fortunately, no one was injured. Lägerid was questioned for several hours by Swiss police after the incident. In an interview with NRK, Sturla was very downcast.
– It is very difficult. It’s sad when it happens, but it’s true. We are engaged in a sport that can potentially take lives, so any safety lapse must be dealt with in the harshest way possible. So I just have to accept the consequences of what happened, said a tearful Läreid.
Björn’s criticism
The incident has not gone unnoticed Bjorn Ferrywhich now questions the safety of biathlon.
– We clearly see that some do not have safe weapon handling in how they put on their rifles or how they stand on the shooting range. If you have a weapon in the hotel room and you go downstairs and have a chat, then there is a weapon in the hotel room. Then a cleaner comes, there is a weapon and possibly ammunition there. If someone starts digging into this, the regulations will be tightened and it won’t be okay to have the weapons in the hotels anymore, says the former biathlete to SVT.
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Biathlon has rarely encountered any problems with any right-skippers over the years, something Ferry reflects on.
– I think biathlon has had a bit of a silk glove treatment by the police and authorities. They have the weapons in the hotel and go out into the corridor. If it had happened in a different way with a hunting weapon, people would call 112 and run like crazy, especially in the times we live in now with an increased level of terror. I think it will be tougher for the biathletes to go around with weapons like they do, he says.
READ MORE: Björn Ferry’s brutally honest words about Stina Nilsson – that’s why she has been kicked out of the World Cup: “It’s just too…”
Ferry’s solution
However, Björn Ferry has a proposal for a solution to the problem.
– In the long run, my solution is to switch to electronic shooting to avoid the risk of accidents and above all to reduce inconvenience in moving the weapons and safety for the public, says the 45-year-old to the channel’s website.
READ MORE: Björn Ferry’s big confession about Stina Nilsson – the words that make all Swedes cross their fingers: “We should remember that”
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